How to make it as a YouTuber

Vlogger Henry Gibson is the brains behind Teen Car Reviews. In this guest post, he tells Just Recruitment how it’s done

By Henry Gibson

Everything is set. The cameras are rolling. The microphone pinned to my sweater is already picking up every crack and rustle. There’s a brand-new car behind me that hundreds of experts have reviewed online and in print. Now it’s my turn. I draw breath, shaping up to deliver my opening line. And… an incoherent stream of nonsense comes out of my mouth.

I messed up my line, again. Oops.

...if you’re going to make it as a vlogger, you need to feel passionate about your subject matter.

This is a regular occurrence when I’m filming for my YouTube channel Teen Car Reviews. But it’s all a part of the experience of becoming a vlogger. And just in case you think that’s a tricky thing to achieve, let me talk you through the surprisingly straightforward process of setting up a YouTube channel, creating engaging content and garnering a following.

First things first: if you’re going to make it as a vlogger, you need to feel passionate about your subject matter. I started Teen Car Reviews because I love cars, and I love speaking about them just as much. I draw on this enthusiasm to produce great content that’s entertaining and informative. Oh, and I’d like to make millions of pounds through advertising revenue. Obviously.

It’s simple to set up your YouTube channel. Just head to the platform and create an account. Then, to give a bit of atmosphere, think about developing a visual identity with a logo or colour scheme. That brings an air of professionalism, which means viewers are more likely to trust that you know what you’re talking about.

When choosing a name for your channel, I’d recommend going for something that is simple to understand and catchy. I chose Teen Car Reviews because it’s descriptive and highlights my unique selling point – though I don’t know what I’ll do when I hit my twenties. Maybe I’ll rebrand.

Talking about my age, my biggest challenge was securing cars to review. My advice is: don’t ask, don’t get. Just be confident and you can achieve anything, even getting hold of test cars when you’re a 14-year-old kid. It’s worked so far for me, with brand-new cars coming my way from Suzuki, Land Rover and independent 4x4 specialist Exmoor Trim.

You may think I’d need big cameras and fancy lights to do justice to these vehicles, but I haven’t found that at all. My first six videos were recorded on my Dad’s iPhone and edited in iMovie. I’ve been using Final Cut Pro to edit more recently. It’s a great piece of software, but comes with a hefty £300 price tag, so maybe something you work up to as your channel gets more views.

Whatever equipment you use, you have to produce videos that people want to watch. They have to capture the viewers’ attention and make them keep coming back for more. Don’t worry if you mess up your lines or forget what to say. Just do it again. And again, if need be.

Stick with it. Be prepared to grow an audience over time. Good things come to those who wait.

My main advice is: enjoy the experience! I remember when I visited the Exmoor Trim workshop. Filming the video was amazing but walking around the factory was even more incredible: it took my breath away to see the skill and dedication that goes into crafting a high-quality product.

That’s a valuable lesson if you want to make it as a YouTuber. You have to be indefatigable and not take no for an answer. If you give up when one of your videos doesn’t get many views, you’re never going to get anywhere. Stick with it. Be prepared to grow an audience over time. Good things come to those who wait.

It really isn’t hard to set up a YouTube channel like mine. All you need is a good idea, a smartphone or camera and some basic editing skills and you’ll be posting viral internet content in less time than it takes me to fluff my opening lines.

On which subject, I ought to wrap this up. I’m filming tomorrow, and still don’t know what I’m going to say when the camera starts rolling…